Indiana University Bloomington will celebrate a night of cultural displays, international food and traditional performances at the 10th annual IU World’s Fare from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 11.
Hosted by the IU Office of International Services and IU Union Board, the free event is in celebration of International Education Week. Doors will open to the public at 6 p.m. at Alumni Hall in the Indiana Memorial Union, 900 E. Seventh St.
“World’s Fare is the signature event for International Education Week,” said Mai-Lin Poon, associate director of student life. “It brings together the IU community to share in the rich and diverse culture that exists in our campus community and allows for students to share and celebrate their cultural heritage with others through performances, interactive activities and food.”
A total of 24 student organizations, representing cultures from throughout the world, will participate in a cultural booth/interactive activity. The night will also feature 12 performances from groups such as the Filipino Student Association, Central Asia Dance Group, International Latin Ibero American Student Association, HooSher Bhangra and the Malaysian Student Association.
Visitors will have an opportunity to sample and enjoy international food throughout the evening. All recipes are submitted by international students and prepared by IMU Dining Services staff. They are later shared online in the IU World’s Fare cookbook.
This year, organizers have also added an IU International Late Nite to the event. Taking place from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., the event will feature international trivia, board games, a tea tasting, Bollywood fusion dance classes, karaoke and international short films.
“Each year the event gets bigger and better,” Poon said. “People love interacting with our students, watching exciting performances and tasting food from all over the world. There are some people that have never missed a World’s Fare.”
The event is all part of IU’s celebration of International Education Week, a worldwide celebration of the millions of people who improve global understanding through exchange programs and one of the largest multicultural events of the year at IU Bloomington.
As part of the celebration, a number of activities, including live dance and music, lectures, art exhibits, film screenings and more will take place throughout the week at various locations on campus.
IU’s Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs and the School of Global and International Studies are also hosting a study abroad resource fair as part of the week-long activities. Taking place from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 13, the fair will allow students to learn more about study abroad opportunities.
A full listing of events is available online.
“At Indiana University, the week affords a unique opportunity to highlight the rich array of countries and cultures represented among our international student and visiting scholar populations, while also focusing on efforts of the campus to prepare all IU graduates for their roles as citizens in our increasingly interconnected world,” said Christopher Viers, associate vice president for international services. “All members of the IU and Bloomington communities are encouraged to join us for this year’s 18th anniversary week of programs and events and see first-hand why IU is truly a global university.”